Saving a Life
by ady58802
Summary: Sick and tired of being treated like the "baby" on the team, Reid decides to face an unsub on his own. But can he survive?
1. Into the Woods

_Disclaimer: I don't own criminal minds. This is my first story, I might continue it based on feed back so please feel free to let me know what your think!_

It had been hours since he had moved from his spot. The clock that hung high above the wall was taunting him, tick after tick, purposely passing time even slower then could ever be thought possible.

Reid drummed his finger nails on the coffee table as he let out a deep sigh. He had been looking at the same clues for over six hours and still had nothing. The unsub killed so many people and yet the team couldn't figure out any connection between the victims.

_Tick-Tick-Tick._ He either was going to pull the clock off the wall and thrash it into the wall or pull the hair out of his own skull. Both outcomes looked decent.

It was hard to believe that had only been a few hours ago.

Now his hand squeezed tighter trying to stop blood from seeping out of his side. His feet hit the ground pounding against the dirt, the branches and the leaves left in his path. And he was tired. So tired.

His heart pounded in his ears begging to give out, but his feet only moved quicker; jumping over logs, ducking under trees, anything for a few more seconds of distance between him and the unsub. He had no idea how long he had been running for; maybe minutes, maybe hours. Time seemed to stand still. Tears filled his eyes, his face burned as his lungs gasped for breath. He'd give anything for that mind numbing boringness now.

Reid skidded behind a tree and ducked to the ground. The sleeves of his jacket and his cold skin pressed tightly against the dirt as he held his breath trying not to make a movement. He could not believe he got stuck into this damn mess – not that it was anything new. Thanks to life at the BAU Reid had always found a way into the most…unique and interesting situations. He was trained to expect the unexpected and adapt to any situation; whether it was getting kidnapped by someone with dissociative identity disorder and shot him up with drugs or trying to save a teenage girl's life by a unsub who believed he was the Fisher king.

Reid was smart. He had an IQ of 187 for god's sake. So how could he have been so stupid? He just wanted to go visit the crime scene for a new perspective, he didn't think he needed an escort. He didn't know why he didn't think to grab Morgan or Emily or JJ to go with him...actually that's a lie.

Truth was he wasn't expecting any trouble; the profile said that the unsub never returned to the scene of the murders. Plus he just wanted to clear his head; the headaches were coming and going so often these days, he thought some fresh air might do him some good.

Stupid, stupid mistake - especially tonight. God, if he got out of this situation alive Hotch was going to kill him. He rolled his eyes to himself in the darkness as his eyes tried to adjust. The footsteps that had been behind his were now closer. His body went completely still. He knew he had minutes, maybe moments before whoever was behind his would find him – laying weapon less on the ground.

He always thought he would die in some cool, blaze of glory kind of way- he was an FBI agent. He didn't want to go like the pictures of the people they get when the team is first invited into a case. The Victims. Suddenly image after image flashed into his head; men and women of all different sizes and ages. Some with gun shots, some with stab wounds and some hunted down and bodies covered in leaves and dirt. He never wanted to go out like the people they couldn't save. The thought of his team finding his lifeless body and having to investigate just killed him.

_Screw this_ Reid thought. If he was going down it wasn't going to involve an unsub chasing him in the woods. He knew he had to make a run for it.

His arms pushed his body off the ground slowly as his side stung, begging for him not to move again. His foot carved into the ground as he set his body. _3…2…1 – go_

Reid made it only past the end of the trees before a hand grabbed his arm. Reid twisted trying to avoid the ground and the shadowed figure. His side screamed at him as his heart pounded his chest. He couldn't take the pain; his legs were giving out beneath him as he was losing his balance.

It was only on his way stumbling into a near hit with the light post, did he realize that it had not been the same person who had been chasing him. A breath of relief hit him as the light captured the face. The dark skin, the lack of hair, the familiar eyes.

It was Morgan.

"It's okay prettyboy," Morgan whispered as he wrapped an arm around Reid to support him. Morgan saw the shape Reid was in; hair disheveled, sweat running down his face, pure exhaustion running over him that was clear as day. Morgan only griped him tighter. "I got ya, it's just me. Your safe." Morgan just repeated himself over and over as he lead Reid in the direction of the clearing.


	2. Clearing his head

_Hey everyone, here is the second chapter in my Reid/Morgan story. I hope you like it! Please feel free to review and let me know what you think, the more the better. Some science facts I got from answers(dot)com. I do not own Criminal Minds. Now without further awed, I hope you enjoy. =)_

Reid awoke with a start as his eyes snapped open. His arms and legs were flung in every direction as half his body hung off the bed. The sheets that were draped over him were now twisted in knots by his feet and drops of sweat rolled down the edges of his mouth. Dazed and exhausted, Reid glanced at the clock – 12:15 A.M. _Oh God_. Reid thought as he collapsed back onto the mattress.

He didn't know if he was relieved to be awake or wishing his eyes never opened. It was practically the middle of the night and already it felt like a sonnet. His night shirt was soaked, dripping with sweat. It was a miracle he could sleep at all.

It had been only a few days since that night in the woods with the unsub. He could remember it as clear as the days following it.

Morgan had pasted back in forth in Reid's hospital room. They had been had made a B line for the hospital as soon as Morgan had found Reid. He could remember Morgan thinking out loud "How could he be this stupid? Going off alone? He's a damn FBI agent; he's not new at this. He should have known better!"

Emily reached out and placed a hand on Morgan's shoulder. "We love him too." she whispered. Morgan lifted his head to look at her, using every ounce of strength to hold back the tears.

It was JJ who noticed he was awake first, "Spence!" she jumped up in the chair next to him. "Thank god! How are you feeling?" Reid stirred in the bed, "A little weak," he admitted.

The next 20 minutes consisted of the team reading him the riot act.

True Reid was the youngest member on the team. When he got into a situation he couldn't help but notice how different everyone always acted. Though nowhere near a kid, he felt as though the team thought they needed to protect him; like he was going to break. Truth told it annoyed the hell out of him.

Hotch then reminded him that Reid was the smartest member on the team when it came to his IQ, but he needed to use his head more. Garcia chimed in with threat of physical harm if he ever did anything like this again.

When the hospital released Reid a day later, it was a miracle Reid talked them into letting him go home alone.

Reid laid in his bed for a few moments before deciding that he needed some air, he needed to get up and walk around, if anything just get out of the apartment; away from everything and clear his head.

Reid jumped up instantly – slipping on a white T-shirt and his pair of tan shorts. He reached over and grabbed his keys off of the night stand, heading down the flight of stairs and out of the front door.

Reid made it past the trees of Even's Park, listening to his sandals crunching the wet grass beneath his feet. He made it past the well-lit area with the benches in several rows along the made out path. He even made it past the sand boxes and the swings that were as still as a wooden board. He got all the way to the broken lamp post, which was never fixed, until he heard footsteps behind him.

Instantly he was reminded of the blood, the blade and the chasing. He stopped dead. Slowly his hand reached to where his gun was and hovered.

As the steps grew closer Reid's breathing became steady. Instantly he had a feeling that he knew who the presence was. He let out a sign of relief and couldn't help but smile.

"I knew you would find some reason to come check up on me." he admitted out load.

Morgan chuckled, "yeah well, that's what I get for working with a bunch of profilers." He came up next to Reid with his hands in his pockets. "I went to your place first but after the first few knocks I figured you went for a walk." Morgan looked from the stars to Reid, "How you feeling?"

Reid shrugged, "Did you know stars giant balls of gas that emit heat and light? Giant balls of plasma would be more accurate but otherwise that is more or less true. Plasma is made of atoms that have lost their electrons-"

"I asked how _you_ were kid. Not the balls of gas."

"…I'll feel better once we catch this unsub," Reid admitted. "I hate the fact that he got the drop on me."

Morgan nodded, "Well get him, don't worry."

Just as the words came out of Morgan's mouth, his phone rang. He reached for it on his belt buckle and lifted it to his ear, "Morgan." There was a moment of pause. "Got it. Reid's with me, were on our way in now." He hung up the phone and turned to Reid. "JJ's got a lead."


	3. New clue

_As some of you may have noticed, this is a story I started but never completed many months ago. I rewrote some parts since and have decided to finish the story. I do not own Criminal Minds._

It was just past 1:00am at the BAU by the time everyone started to arrive. The round table filled quickly - first with Reid and Morgan, followed by Hotch, Rossi and then Emily and Garcia.

As everyone came piling in, Reid's only focus seemed to be on the screen in front of the room. It was covered in pictures; bodies of the victims courtesy of their most current unsub. There were men and woman that varied from race, age, marital status, income, everything down to where they cut their hair.

The only thing all the bodies seemed to have in common were that they were strangled by the same copper wire. The wire was then tired into a bow around the neck like it was a Christmas gift that was left out for someone to find. It was the unsub's "calling card." It made Reid so angry and sick to his stomach; It was like the unsub was taunting them. Leaving them little "gifts" remind them that they had nothing.

Usually Reid didn't take a case so personally but this time it was like the unsub was laughing in their faces. The feeling became worse as Reid reminded himself he could have stopped all of this if he hadn't been caught off guard in the woods…if he had kept his head and handled the unsub then he could never harm anyone again. But he would and it was all Reid's fault.

Reid barely noticed JJ who stood in the front of the room until she began. Garcia, who was sitting to his left, gave Reid a little nudge to bring him back into reality.

"As we know the current unsub has killed 13 victims to date," JJ started as she flipped through photo after photo on the screen. "He picks up a new victim, or a couple, every few weeks like clockwork."

"We also know he wears a clear plastic mask based on Reid's observations." Emily noted. She glanced at the table before she suddenly found everywhere but Reid's direction interesting. "It's probably a way to tease his victims into almost seeing his face but still unable to identify him."

JJ nodded before pulling up the screen shot of the latest body. "We went back over the facts and found out there is biker bar not far from 8 out of 10 in locations were the bodies were dumped; all except for the last two."

"Do we think that's how he's picking up his victims?" Rossi asked out load to no one in particular. "Scouting them out at the bar before following them somewhere?"

"If it is he's changing his M.O." Hotch answered glancing at the screen.

Morgan shook his head. "There are some big guys at these bars. His victims are not exactly tiny Tim. He would have to either knock them out with something pretty heavy duty."

"There were nothing on the toxicology reports," Garcia announced as she flipped through the files laid out on the table.

"There wouldn't be," Emily answered her. "Not if it's something that can't be picked up by toxicology."

Hotch glanced at Garcia. "Garcia, go through the reports and search for drugs that might not have showed up or any strange marks like something from a needle on the bodies."

Garcia nodded before lifting herself from her chair and moving to her "goddess cave" as Morgan called it.

Reid sat there listening to his teammates voices but barley catching their words. Something was off. He knew something was in front of their eyes but he just _couldn't see what_. What was it? What were they missing? This was a team of highly skilled profilers, the best in their fields, yet they were completely blind to the clue that was right there. Reid signed before he leaned forward slightly in his chair placing his elbows on the table to get a better look at the screen. Images fluttered into his mind. The victims with their eyes glossed over with pools of blood surrounding them. And that bow. Right there on the necks…

"You alright there prettyboy?" Morgan's voice broke through to his thoughts. Reid blinked a few times, not realizing he had closed his eyes, before he turned to Morgan "Hu?"

"Are you alright?" Morgan repeated. "I've been trying to get your attention for a solid minute and you just seemed to be off in your own little world."

Hotch's phone went off. He silently excused himself as he answered "Hotchner." Reid shrugged, "I'm fine."

Reid could suddenly feel everyone's eyes on him; Emily, JJ, Morgan, even Rossi. Picking apart every fidget, every facial expression, every move trying to break it down. Trying to see if he was telling the truth or not. God it was so _annoying._ He resented them for it. He knew they were worried about him; they cared about him. This he didn't mind so much. The things they had seen over these past few years would be enough to bond anyone. They were family. But this something different.

He knew they all saw him as the weakest link, the baby. Just because he was younger than the rest of them, they all thought they had to protect him. This meant coddling him every time something went wrong and Reid found himself in danger. What hypocrites. They didn't act nearly this bad after one of them got hurt. It was only saved this for Reid. Like he was a child, like he couldn't do his job right and always had to be watched. It made him so angry.

Reid opened his mouth to tell everyone to stop staring when Hotch suddenly came into the room, his phone still in his hand, "We have a new body. Boston, wheels up in 40."


End file.
